Utengano Ni Udhaifu
by Kitt Mouri
Summary: This story takes place just under a year after Simba's exile from the pride lands and follows untold events that occured during the time he stayed in the jungle with Timon and Pumbaa. This story takes place right after a monsterous monsoon rain totalled
1. Introduction

"What. . . what was that?"  
  
"Just a little sprinkle, but it's over, now. Don't worry, 'kitten', you won't have to get your tail wet anymore."  
  
The former let out a low growl in response. He looked about him as he staggered to his feet. "By all the kings of the past. . ." he whispered, as he took in the sight before him. Felled trees, flooded pockets of water, thick debris and vegetation strewn about; it was nothing like had ever seen. "I felt that there was a storm approaching, but I would have never guessed it could have done all this."  
  
"Eh, . . . you get used to it."  
  
"WHAT? You mean, this isn't the first time this has happened?"  
  
"What? Are you kidding? Happens all the time! Right, Pumbaa?"  
  
There was no response.  
  
"Pumbaa?" he repeated. "PUMBAA?!" 


	2. Chapter One: Nimepotea – I Am Lost

Chapter One: Nimepotea - I Am Lost  
  
It had been an uncommonly dry season on the Serengeti, which always meant that one could expect an uncommonly damp monsoon season. Being born a creature of the hot, dry expanses of the pride lands, Simba was not familiar with the tropical storms that sometimes hit the coast of the jungle where he now lived with Timon and Pumbaa. Sure they had rain showers, but this. . .  
  
"This is incredible." the big cat breathed in awe. "I've never seen a rain like this back ho-. . .I mean, where I came from."  
  
"Buddy, forget about where you came from!" the meerkat exclaimed. "Right now we gotta think about where you're goin'; GOIN' TO FIND OUR WARTHOG PAL!" he all but shouted as he scrambled up upon the young lion's shoulder's. "Let's go! Onward! Follow that trail!" he commanded, tugging on the developing mane that colored Simba's shoulders.  
  
"What trail?" the feline asked.  
  
"The trail that you'll sniff out. Come on, come on!"  
  
"But, there isn't a trail. There's not even a scent. With all this water, it'll be impossible to find him on smell alone. . .even a smell as powerful as Pumbaa's."  
  
Timon yielded an expression of pure bafflement. "So, you mean that my buddy's out there and we're stuck here without a clue and no way to find him?"  
  
"No, no, no! That's not what I'm saying! We'll find Pumbaa but, well, it just won't be very easy."  
  
"But, we will find him?"  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
"Then what are we waitin' for? Let's move out!"  
  
Together, the two started out, looking for their lost friend. They hadn't a clue where to begin their search, but with faith and hope on their side, they were certain that they would not fail.  
  
After searching for what seemed like days, the two companions came to a clearing at the jungle's edge. The light of the noonday's sun struck them with a force.  
  
"Whew! That's some golden light." Timon commented as he shaded his eyes from the sun's rays.  
  
"Yeah, but I hope that Pumbaa's not out there." Simba replied.  
  
"So, what? It's just a little sun. No big deal."  
  
"It's not the sun I'm worried about. . ." he said, softly.  
  
"Oh, no? Then what, pray tell, is this thing that you are worried about?" he asked, looking down at the lion. He noticed that the young feline was looking at something on the ground. He followed his gaze down to the ground where a large paw print rested. Timon swallowed, loudly. "Eh. . . whaddya suppose made that thing?"  
  
Simba was quiet, steadily staring at print with an unreadable expression upon his visage. Suddenly, he turned about and reentered the jungle.  
  
"Hey! Wait! Where are ya goin'?" Timon exclaimed, looking back behind him at the retreating view of the open plains.  
  
Although he heard the ushered inquiry, Simba did not answer. Instead, he pressed on into the disarrayed depths of the jungle's darkness.  
  
"Are you listening to me?" Timon asked, sharply. "Stop! Wait! WOAH!" he shouted, pulling violently on the emerging rust colored tendrils of the lion's locks.  
  
Abruptly, Simba stopped, but still said nothing. Timon scrambled down from the lion's shoulders and marched before him. He reached up, grabbing several of the cat's whiskers and pulled on them, bringing him down so that they were eye to eye.  
  
"What's goin' on here?" Timon demanded. "Why are we leavin'?"  
  
Sighing heavily, Simba answered, "Because, I know what made those tracks."  
  
"So. . .what was it?"  
  
Averting his eyes with what looked akin to shame, he answered. "A lion."  
  
"A lion?!" the rodent exclaimed. "A lion. Hey! That's great! Come on, let's go!" he ordered, as he started back for the light.  
  
"But, Timon. . ."  
  
"You can find that lion and ask 'em if he's seen Pumbaa."  
  
"Timon-. . ."  
  
"Actually, it might be better if he hadn't. My buddy's not the fastest of prey. . ."  
  
"TIMON!"  
  
"But, that's why you've gotta go and have a talk with that lion out there so he can spread the word not to eat our friend! So, come on, what are ya waitin' for?"  
  
"Because, I can't!" he all but shouted.  
  
"You can't?" he repeated, dumbfounded. "Whaddya mean ya can't? You're a lion, ain't ya?"  
  
"Yeah, but-. . ."  
  
"Our buddy's in trouble, ain't he?"  
  
"Well, he might be, but-. . ."  
  
"So what else do ya need to know?"  
  
"I-. . . I don't know." he admitted, reluctantly. "But, what I do know is that lions are very territorial. Entering another's territory is something that is not allowed and punishable even by death."  
  
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Timon chided, shaking his head. "Ya let me down kid. And to think of everything we've done for you. And what's more, if this whole mess were turned the other way around, Pumbaa wouldn't have thought twice about goin' in there to find you. Go on home. I'll find my buddy on my own." And with that, the meerkat scurried off into the tawny grasses of the plain. 


	3. Chapter Two: Kwaheri Goodbye

note from the author: I am SO sorry that it took me SOOO long to get this second chapter out! -_-; I've been so busy but I wanted. . .REALLY wanted to keep going with this lil' story o' mine ^_^ Oh, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE NICE REVIEWS!! That means a WHOLE LOT to me ^_^ Thanks a bunch, y'all! (sorry, I'm from the country ^_~). Okay, I hope you enjoy this installment of Utengano ni Udhaifu. Take Care! ^.~  
  
Chapter 2: Kwaheri - Goodbye  
  
The noonday heat rained forth upon the earth as the meerkat walked boldly into its fury. Exposed and unprotected, fear should have been a dominant presence in his mind, yet that harrowing emotion was no where to be found within the expanse of his thoughts.  
  
"I can't believe this." he grumbled, as he marched into the tawny field. "Here we go and raise that kid, snatchin' him from the very teeth of death and this is how he pays us back? That ungrateful little. . . " he exclaimed, as he came to a sudden halt. He crossed his arms about his narrow chest while his mind continued to ponder the situation. "Still, " he mused, softly. "I know we raised that kid better than that. What could have made him do somethin' like this?"  
  
A movement off in the distance caught his attention. Looking to where he saw the anomaly, he saw the recognized form of a lion, or, more appropriately, a lioness off in the distance. She appeared to be scrounging in the dirt for something, though he couldn't quite make out what the object in question was. Oh well, it didn't matter. He was resolved to find his friend even if it meant searching for him on his own, which it seemed that he was now bound to do. Resolutely, he headed off in the direction of the foraging female feline, determined to do all that he could to acquire an answer or a bout of assistance.  
  
As he neared hearing distance from the great cat he cleared his throat and made ready to speak when, suddenly, the thing she had been attempting to unearth was revealed. With slight effort, she dug out from its burrow, screeching and screaming a meerkat and, in one deft movement, silenced its cries forever.  
  
The statement that Timon had prepared in his mind remained lodged in his throat as he watched the lioness swallow whole the member of his kin. Neither words, nor sound nor even breath were forth coming to the tiny rodent, paralyzed with fear. So struck with terror was he that movement was not a possibility. If the lioness had not sated her appetite with the squally morsel she had just consumed, he would surely add to her fill. And then. . . licking her dark lips, the beautiful cat noticed the small animal staring at her, saw the fear that played across its features and knew that he would not escape.  
  
Years of stalking and hunting with her pride had made her a majestic sight to behold as she zeroed in on her prey. Her body poised and lethal, she readied herself to pounce on her victim when, suddenly, she halted in her action, for silently coming up behind the stricken meerkat appeared a young male lion. His youth evident by his size but his maleness was most evident by the slight rust-coloring upon his chest and along the nape of his neck where his mane was beginning to emerge. He stood silently behind his little friend, a profound look of sadness dressing his features, making no move either to advance or retreat.  
  
Unwanted recognition swelled within the heart of the lioness as she slowly rose out of the crouching position she adopted formerly. Her eyes saw with joy and sadness and then despair as truth slammed into her. "No. . . it could not be." she whispered to herself. "I have to let him go." she added, as the wind blew passed her and down to the young male who her sight remained transfixed upon.  
  
Her scent carried down him. . . that scent he knew so well. . . that scent that he knew that no matter how far he might go, it would never leave him. . . because it was. . . him. He lowered his eyes for a moment, just a moment, as he allowed her essence to enfold him as it had so many times, so long ago. On those nights when the sky rained forth fire and shed torrents of its tears upon the parched lands. He wanted so much to be brave like his father but, in truth, it was more than just a bit frightening seeing the heavens in an uproar. Then, she would be near, ushering him onto the warmth of her embrace saying, "Oh my brave young Simba, will you let your mother hold you close so that I might not be so afraid of this night?"  
  
Always, he would manage a smile and reply, "Sure, Mom. I'll protect you. You can hold me close, but only because you're afraid."  
  
It wasn't until he was older that he realized that she protected him in all things. . . even his juvenile pride. And how did he repay her kindness. . .how did he repay her love? Heavily, he opened his eyes, once more. Gingerly, he scooped the still immobile little animal into his capable jaws and after one more lasting glance at his beloved mother, started away.  
  
"Sarabi!" a young voice called behind the former queen. Trotting up behind her appeared a younger female, her bright blue eyes flickering with the golden light of the sun making them appear green. "Are you alright, you seem-. . ." she began, until she noticed what it was that the great lioness was looking upon. "A MALE!" the younger lioness growled. "I'll get him!"  
  
"No, Nala." Sarabi all but whispered. "Let him be."  
  
"Huh?! Let him be? But why?"  
  
"Because. . . " she began, her voice wracked with emotion. "He reminds me so much of my dead son that I cannot bear to see harm done unto him. Please, child, just let him go." she pleaded as she turned away and started off.  
  
Obediently, Nala respected her former queen's wishes and let the young male go. Angrily, she watched the young lion silently return to the shadows of the jungle, his apparent kill still firmly secured in his jaws; a kill that her pride sorely needed.  
  
It had been said that after Mufasa and Simba's reported deaths that Nala had become very hard-hearted toward her male counterparts. She openly challenged any and all males that dared venture onto the Pride Lands and most often won her battles, although she had, on occasion, suffered her losses, too, returning to Pride Rock with much bloodshed, her own included. Her mother, Sarafina, worried that her precious daughter would never warm to the male half of their species and knew that the loss of her daughter's best friend and the true king was only partly responsible for the change in her beautiful she-cub.  
  
After their loss, Nala became very angry with her departed friend for leaving her. They were supposed to be the best of friends for all time, and yet, before they even fully tasted what life had to offer them, he left her, abandoned her. And not only him, but her king, too. He left her and not only her, but his mate and pride, too. How could he? How could he do something so selfish as to leave them like this? And what's worse, how could he leave in his wake such a terrible male to assume his place? It was because of Scar's new reign that the lionesses were forced to forage on the outskirts of the Pride Lands in search of any meager source of food they could gather as they exhausted all substantial game in efforts to feed their king and his unpleasing band of hyena consorts. Nothing was left to feed the lioness at all. Not zebra, nor hippo, nor buffalo, nor even wildebeest. So scarce was food, that they had no other choice but to gather what they could find. . . no matter how meager the prey.  
  
Not once, nor even twice, but three times was she betrayed by the likes of males. Suffering through the loss of her best friend, and her true king, then forced to endure the tyrannical rule of his deplorable brother was more than she could bear. No! Males were DEFINITELY not to be trusted! Putting faith in them would only bring about hardship and despair and nothing more. And yet. . .  
  
"If only he really were." she whispered, as the young lion completely vanished within the jungle's expanse. "Oh, Simba. . .you would have saved us. . .I know you would have definitely saved us from all this misery." she sobbed. "SIMBA! WHY DID YOU LEAVE US?!" she cried out. ". . .why did you leave me?" she cried. ". . .why did you leave me."  
  
In the cool depths of the jungle, a lone lion and a sleeping meerkat sat within the confines of a damp alcove, dampened all the more by the pouring of the young cat's tears.  
  
". . .no matter how different you sound, you'll always be the same." he whispered to the heavens. "Nala, my best friend. . .I'm sorry." 


End file.
